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Tokyo reflects Japan's rich Shinto and Buddhist spiritual traditions, hosting shrines and temples dating back to Japan's shogunate eras, religious sites that stand alongside modern edifices of concrete and steel. Certain neighborhoods throughout the city, such as the Yanaka district, are particularly rich in religious heritage and ancient temples, and provide tranquil retreats from Tokyo's bustling business and commercial districts. Most of Tokyo's temples are free and open to the public, though some require visitors to schedule an appointment or apply for permission to tour the grounds before visiting.

Dembo-In

Dembo-in (2-3-1, Asaksa, Taito-ku, Tokyo; 011-81-03-3842-0181) features a Zen garden that scholars believe was originally designed and cultivated by Koboru Enshu, a master landscaper of the 17th Century. Enshu modelled his creation after the gardens of Katsura-rikyu, the Kyoto villa that served as the Imperial Family's vacation home during the 17th century. The garden covers more than 39,000 square feet and features an ornamental pond in the shape of the Chinese character for "heart." Fodor's recommends visiting Dembo-in during the springtime when the garden's wisteria are in full bloom, filling the garden with lavender blossoms.

Gokokuji

Gokokuji (gokokuji.or.jp) is one of Tokyo's few temples that survived the U.S. firebombing of Tokyo during the closing days of World War II; and the temple also remained intact during the 1923 Kanto earthquake, a disaster that killed nearly 4 percent of Tokyo's population. The shogun Tsunayoshi ordered Gokokuji's construction in 1697, devoting extensive manpower and resources to expediting the temple's construction. Within six months, the Gokokuji temple complex was complete, with grounds that featured pagodas and Shinto shrines resting in the midst of landscaped gardens. The temple's Kannon-do hall features an exterior garden adorned with a number of ornamental stone lanterns, and stone statuary is found throughout the temple buildings. Gokokuji is open from dawn to dusk, with free admission.

Kiyomizu Kannon-Do

Kiyomizu Kannon-Do (Ueno Park, Taito-ku; 011-81-03-3821-4749) was originally erected in 1631. Builders took the temple apart in 1698, reconstructing it in its current location across from Tokyo's Shinobazu Pond. The temple is a smaller scale model of Kyoto's Kiyomizu temple and was originally built to commemorate Senju Kannon, the thousand-armed deity, though Kosodate Kannon, goddess of birth and child-rearing, receives more offerings from visitors. Women from across Japan visit Kosodate Kannon's shrine, entreating her for fertility and divine guidance in raising their children. Kiyomizu Kannon-Do is just north of Ueno Park and Tokyo's citizens flock to the temple during the springtime to take in the spectacle of its gardens' blossoming cherry trees.

Senso-ji

According to legend, Senso-ji's (senso-ji.jp) origins date to 628 A.D., when two fishermen in Asuka, then the capital of Japan, retrieved a statue of Kannon-Bosatsu, the Buddhist goddess of compassion. They brought the divine image to Haji no Nakamoto, the town headman, who converted his home into a temple devoted to the deity, establishing the oldest existing temple in Japan. The temple became a major site of worship during the centuries between its establishment and the present day, and its priests expanded its grounds and built an immense complex of shrines and halls of worship upon the site through the years. Senso-ji currently receives more than 30 million visitors annually. Admission is free, and the temple is open all year long.

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About the Author

Since 2006 Jim Orrill has produced reviews and essays on popular culture for publications including Lemurvision and "Sexis." Based in Western North Carolina, Orrill graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina with a bachelor's degree in office systems.

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